On a Civil Society

A president, former chief of staff and multiple ministers all under various stages of investigation. Allegations of misuse of power from the banally sexual to the incompetent.

What separates Israel, with its multitude of problems and absurd social and economic issues from the United States is that all these horrible, awful, disgusting and bizarre things are reported by a press despite attempts to cover up. And that the Israeli constituency, unlike Americans, are numb and depressed, instead of being indignant and repressed, over their leaders’ peccadilloes.

Having a free and powerful press is of no use if the readership has already lost the ability to be shocked or dismayed. Maybe a little American prudery would be handy about now…

• Category: Essay